The invention relates to a foldable stroller and components of a stroller. In particular, the invention relates to a foldable stroller with a passenger support base or xe2x80x9cseat pan.xe2x80x9d
Child carriages and child strollers (hereinafter called xe2x80x9cstrollersxe2x80x9d) are of different types and configurations. Such strollers typically include a child seat, fit to the stroller frame, to allow a child to be seated within the stroller. The child seat has a seat back portion and a seat cushion. The child seat can be made entirely of fabric and padding (hereinafter xe2x80x9cfabric child seatsxe2x80x9d), or, alternatively, the child seat can comprise a stiffening board or plastic shell covered with fabric and padding (xe2x80x9csemi-rigid child seatsxe2x80x9d). Fabric child seats provide less structural rigidity and can be less durable than their more rigid counterparts and, for that reason, are sometimes not desirable. Semi-rigid child seats have room for improvement, as well. In such child seats, fabric hangs over the front end of the seat shell and can clump or bunch up under the child""s legs while a child is sitting in the stroller, thereby causing some level of discomfort to the child. The present invention addresses these disadvantages of child seats in conventional strollers.
The present invention is drawn to a stroller. According to one aspect of the present invention, the stroller can have a retractable canopy, which can be accomplished by mounting the canopy frame a seat support frame or basket frame extending rearwardly beyond the pivoting connection to the stroller rear legs. According to another aspect of the present invention, the stroller can have a remote hinge-lock actuator incorporated into an upper or parent tray formed between its push bar arms. According to another aspect of the present invention, the stroller can have an infant carrier securing mechanism that allows the infant car carrier to be attached to the stroller and provide at least two tilt positions.
A foldable stroller can comprise a foldable stroller frame convertible between an operating position and a folded position. The stroller frame can have front left, front right, rear left, and rear right legs, a handlebar frame pivotally connected to the rear left and right legs, and a seat support frame pivotally connected to the front left and right legs and rear left and right legs. The seat support frame has a portion that pivots downwardly when the frame is folded.
The stroller frame can further include left and right hinge locks fixedly mounted respectively to the rear left and right legs. The ends of the handlebar frame can be pivotally connected to the left and right hinge locks.
The stroller frame can further include a tray assembly comprising a front tray and left and right side arms connected to the front tray. The left and right side arms can be pivotally connected to the handlebar frame. The front and rear left and right legs can be pivotally connected to the left side arm, and the front and rear right legs can be pivotally connected to the right side arm.
The seat support frame can comprise a cross arm and left and right arms extending from the cross arm. The left arm is pivotally connected to the front left leg and the left hinge lock and the right arm is pivotally connected to the front right leg and the right hinge lock.
The push arms can be pivotally connected to the hinge locks. The left push arm and the left arms can be pivotally connected to the left hinge lock about a common axis, and the right push arm and the right arm are pivotally connected to the right hinge lock about a common axis. The left and right arms can extend rearwardly beyond the common axes of the left and right hinge locks. The portion of the seat support frame that pivots downwardly when the frame is folded can include the left and right arms extending beyond the common axes. The cross arm can connect the ends of left and right arms extending beyond the common axes.
The handlebar frame can comprise a handlebar and left and right push arms connected to the handle bar. Specifically, the handlebar can be pivotally connected to the left and right push arms respectively about left and right pivot assemblies. The handlebar can be pivotally movable to reduce the length of the handlebar frame during storage.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a canopy frame can be connected to the portion of the seat support frame that pivots downwardly so that as the stroller frame is folded, the portion of the seat support frame pivoting downwardly pulls the canopy frame downwardly. Specifically, the canopy frame can be pivotally connected to the left and right arms extending beyond the common axes. A portion of the canopy spaced furthest from the pivotal connection to the seat support frame can be positioned below the front tray, and can be positioned between the handlebar frame and the tray when the stroller is folded.
According to another aspect of the invention, the stroller or the stroller frame can include an upper tray mounted to the handlebar frame and a one-hand actuator for unlocking the left and right hinge locks mounted to the upper tray. The upper tray can have at least one container holding compartment and an opening for inserting operator""s fingers. The actuator can be mounted to the underside of the upper tray for a movement between a pushed, actuated position and un-actuated position.
The stroller can further include left and right hinge-lock actuating members movably mounted to the left and right push arms and operatively connected respectively to the left and right hinge locks. The actuator can comprise a handle and left and right linkage assemblies connecting the handle to the left and right actuating members. Each of the left and right linkage assemblies can comprise a substantially U-shaped cross linkage and a push rod connected to the cross linkage. The cross linkage can have first, second, and third arms. The third arm can be pivotally journaled to the underside of the upper tray and join the first and second arms. The first arm can connect to one side of the handle and the second arm can pivotally connect to the push rod, which can connect to the respective left or right actuating member.
According to another aspect of the invention, the stroller can include an infant carrier securing mechanism connected to the handlebar frame, or alternatively, means for mounting an infant carrier in a rearwardly facing direction and providing at least two recline positions. The securing mechanism is adapted to engage front portions of the infant carrier to provide the two recline positions.
The securing mechanism can comprise a plurality of stops movably mounted to the left and right push arms. Each stop can be rotatably mounted between an engage position and a disengage position, which is rotated away from the engage position. There can be a pair of lower stops and a pair of upper stops, respectively mounted rotatably to the left and right push arms. The infant carrier can be adapted to engage the lower stops to provide a first recline position for the infant carrier and can be adapted to engage the upper stops and the lower stops to provide a second reline position, which can be more reclined than the first position.
Another aspect of the invention resides in a method of retracting a canopy of a stroller when it is folded, comprising providing a foldable stroller of the type described above and mounting a canopy frame to the portion of the seat support frame that pivots downwardly so that, as the stroller frame is being folded, the seat support frame pivoting downwardly pulls down the canopy frame.
In another aspect of the present invention, a stroller includes a child seat. The stroller has first and second front legs, first and second rear legs, and a seat support frame having first and second arms. The first arm is connected to the first front leg and the first rear leg, and the second arm is connected to the second front leg and the second rear leg. The stroller also has a passenger support base. The passenger support base is connectable to the first and second arms of the seat support frame. The passenger support base has a top surface, and the top surface has a trough provided therein. The stroller further includes a child seat having a seat cushion and a seat back support. A front portion of the seat cushion fits into and is secured in the trough.
The present invention also relates to a passenger support base for a stroller that includes a seat support frame. The passenger support base has a top surface having a trough provided at a front portion thereof. The passenger support base is adapted to attach to the seat support frame, and, when a child seat having a seat cushion with a front portion is mounted to the stroller, the front portion of the seat cushion fits into and is secured in the trough.
The present invention further relates to a child seat structure for attachment to a stroller frame. The child seat structure includes a child seat having a seat cushion and a seat back support. The seat cushion has a front portion with at least one tab affixed thereto. The child seat structure also includes a passenger support base attachable to the stroller frame. The passenger support base has a trough and at least one opening through the trough. The passenger support base also has at least one projection thereon, such that the at least one tab can pass through the at least one opening and connect to the at least one projection to secure the front portion of the seat cushion in the trough of the passenger support base.